The story was topnotch, but I was disappointed in my
purchase. I’ve bought every issue in hardback, and ordered this one in hardback
also, paying almost full price. But what I received was an advance reading copy
paperback, clearly listed as not for sale on the cover. It is an uncorrected
proof, containing paragraph problems, as well as dialogue running together. I
don’t blame the author or publisher, but it is clearly a review copy sent to
someone who resold it for the price of the hardback edition. It’s sad that the
series comes to an end with this story, and even sadder that my collection ends
with a less than perfect copy of the book.
Endings & Beginnings (The
Black Stiletto #5)
By Raymond Benson
Oceanview Publishing
ISBN #978-1608091034
326 Pages
Price $20.31
Rating 5-Stars
“A Great Series!”
It’s 1962, and Judy Cooper is pregnant with Leo’s baby.
Leo’s sister, Christina is still wearing
the fake Stiletto outfit and robbing the mob boss, keeping heat on The Black
Stiletto from both the police and mob. Now in hiding at Barry Gorman’s mountain
retreat until the baby is born, she can only harass Leo and his sister by
telephone. Once the baby is born, however, she puts her plan in operation to
prove that Christina is the fake Stiletto, and with her brother Leo is
conspiring to rip off the big boss. The plan comes off, but not before a police
shoot-out with gangsters, and once again Judy is on the run, but this time with
her baby. They head for Odessa, Texas, where she hopes to fence the diamond
stolen by Leo and his sister, to help her support the baby. But she brings more
death to her hometown, and eventually has to run again.
This is the final entry in Judy’s career as The Black
Stiletto. It also brings Martin, Maggie, and Gina to the realization that
Judy’s Alzheimer’s is in the fatal stages, and her life is coming to an end.
But Gina now has the Stiletto’s outfit, and she has been recruited into a
secret government organization, leaving the door open to new adventures of a
modern day Black Stiletto – if the author so desires. Even though Judy Cooper’s
career as The Black Stiletto only lasted five years, from 1958 to 1962, I still
hated to see her stories end. And it was even worse to see her dying with
Alzheimer’s after such a brilliant life. The series was unique in the way the
author presented her story through diaries being read by her adult son, and the
reader gets a view of past and present as the stories unfold. Judy Cooper was
charming, and The Black Stiletto was fascinating. I’m glad I had the chance to
read her adventures. Highly recommended.
Tom Johnson
Author of GUNS OF THE BLACK GHOST
Tom Johnson
Detective Mystery Stories
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